Baltic States – CIS, Estonia, Legislation, Markets and Companies, Telecomunications

The committee included journalism professors, Russian language TV programme hosts, TV experts and even Security Police deputy director.

After three hours of discussion, it was decided to make a proposal to the Minister of Culture to form a Russian language TV channel on the basis of Public Broadcasting.

"Radio 4 is the only channel that has secured itself a permanent Russian-speaking audience and has achieved that with its continuous work. If we look at how ETV has cut Russian-language shows that have started out very strong, we see that there was potential. As far as i understand, money was the reason," said Tartu University professor emeritus Marju Lauristin, who has taught hundreds of Estonian journalists.

Eesti Ekspress weekly newspaper journalist Viktoria Ladõnskaja, who has hosted two Russian-language TV shows and one magazine, says that the problem was that the majority of those projects were projects supported by the Integration Fund – and since they were projects, they ended sooner or later.

Before launching a new TV channel the current Russian-language ability of Estonian Public Broadcasting should be strengthened, said the committee's chairman, Culture Ministry chancellor Paavo Nõgene.

The Commission's views will be formed into a Ministry of Culture proposal to be presented to the government.